Pakistan, almost 18 months on

In the worst monsoon-related floods in 80 years, people in later life were particularly badly hit. According to our sister organisation, HelpAge International, at least three million older people and people with disabilities were affected by the floods.

As Tom Wright, Age UK Chief Executive, commented ‘Life is incredibly difficult for older people here. Less than 5% have a pension and all the older people work. Inflation has been horrific for them since the flood with food on average up 300% with ghee, sugar, tea and flour increasing nine fold’.

Working through HelpAge International, we are delivering much needed assistance to people in later life in Pakistan. In areas where it is still impossible to cultivate the land due to the amount of salty water, we are providing food to 2,700 households headed by older people.

Older People’s Associations

Through HelpAge International, we have established 62 Older People’s Associations (OPAs) to manage and distribute cash grants to the most vulnerable older people in Pakistan. These payments help cover food, repair houses, pay off loans, or allow older people to buy tools or livestock lost in the floods. Others have bought stock to set up small businesses.

The creation of these OPAs help to ensure that 3,100 households containing 3,720 older women and men experience sustained improvements in their income. 3,108 older people will also receive assistance to prevent and manage chronic illness, mental health and psycho-social issues, as well as mobility and visual problems.

The flash floods brought about by heavy monsoon rains in August 2011 highlighted the need to train OPAs on 'disaster risk reduction' (helping their communities to prepare for future disasters in order to minimise damage and destruction). As a result of this training, OPAs are preparing community action plans which they will be able to implement to save lives and prevent damage in future emergencies.

Before the floods, Sakeena and her two daughters earnt living with two sewing machines and two buffaloes. However, Sakeena says ‘The flood changed our life. We lost our buffaloes and the sewing machines as well. Our house was also damaged’. Age UK and HelpAge provided Sakeena with a cash grant, with which she bought three new sewing machines. She says ‘Now our life is back on track.  It's not how it used to be, but it will get there eventually’.